Poncles (「コロポックル」?; Koropokkuru) are sprite-like race no bigger than a large insect (so they are often mistaken for insects). Most dwell in Ponc'tan, a village located in a tree stump in Yoshpet.

Poncles are bioluminescent humanoids. They wear clothes made from leaves and other natural materials and helmets in the shape of parts of insects. The helmets shade their bodies and faces from anyone larger than they are, which contributes to their bug-like appearance. Each Poncle glows a different colour, but they also change colour depending on their emotions (ie: red when angry, etc.). Poncles age like humans, but seem to stay the same height their whole life (for example Ishaku is the same height as Issun, who is younger). Poncles also live much longer than humans: for example, Ishaku is still alive and seemingly in good health after 100 years, and Issun says that 200 years is 'nothing to someone like him when the Tao Trooper Abe tells him and Amaterasu about how old Waka is.

Poncles are full of artistic talent and a strong willed loyalty to the Celestial Brush gods of Nippon. When the people of Nippon forget or lose faith in the Gods, Ponc'tan sends out a "Celestial Envoy", the best artist and most faithful believer in the gods amongst them, to travel around the world painting, drawing, and reminding people that the Gods still live and still protect the people. Poncles also have the ability to speak with many if not all of the animals of nature.

The Gods themselves rely on the Poncles to tell the people because the love and faith from the people all over Nippon is what gives the Gods their true power. Issun is the current Celestial Envoy, and his grandfather, Ishaku, was the Celestial Envoy 100 years ago.

They also have great physical strength for their size, as they can jump high enough to get the attention of larger beings and as Issun demonstrated, he could throw a jug of Thunder Brew into Orochi's mouth, which is many times his size and weight. These traits put into question the theory of Poncles having musculature approximately equal to humans, but compressed into a small body frame. Nevertheless, the ratio between their physical strength and size are reminiscent of several types of insects, such as ants.